JPS5833747A - Switching controller for automatic communication circuit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a monitor function of a computer and a communication function transferring communication line switching information and to improve the function, by receiving watchdog time information from the computer. CONSTITUTION:In detecting a watchdog timer of a CPU, a circuit switching control section 4 monitors the watchdog timer of the CPU1 via a signal line L1. This is executed with control sections 43 and 46 of the section 4, and when the watchdog timer is detected, this is transferred to a line switching control section 5 of other systems via a signal line L3 and informed to CPUs of the other system. This is the same for the case as the CPUs of the other system give the watchdog timer. Then, the CPU can detect that the CPUs of the other system transmits the watchdog timer, allowing to perform line switching with the control from the normal CPU.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic communication line switching control device suitable for a multi-configuration computer online device using communication lines. In particular, the present invention relates to a device having a function of monitoring a computer by receiving watchdog timer information from a combiator, and a communication function of transmitting communication line switching information from the computer.

Conventional automatic communication line switching control devices that use communication lines have the following drawbacks because a computer performs switching control of the communication line switching device via a modem interface.

■ Communication line switching control when a computer is abnormal, or if the computer is being managed by an abnormal computer, communication line switching may not be performed properly when the computer is abnormal.

(2) The timing for transmitting communication line switching information of a multiplexed computer system to an automatic communication line switching control device may not always be correct.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic communication line switching device that solves these drawbacks.

The present invention monitors computers by receiving watchdog timer information from the computers, and when one computer generates a signal from the watchdog timer, it notifies the other computers of this information and automatically Equipped with a function to execute communication line switching, and equipped with a communication function between multiplexed computers in order to appropriately judge the timing to send communication line switching information from the computer, and can correctly remotely control communication line switching from the computer. Provides a device configured as follows.

Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This example is 2
This is an example in which the present invention is implemented for CPU switching control in a system configured with multiple computers (CPUs). The two CPtJs 1 and 2 are connected to a communication line via a communication line switching device 3. The present invention relates to the control of this communication line switching device 3, and is characterized in that it includes hardware shown by a dashed line in FIG.

That is, the line switching control circuit section 4 is connected to the first CPU 1 via the signal line L1, the line switching control circuit section 5 is connected to the second CPU 2 via the signal line L1, and these line switching control circuit sections 4 .5 is the communication line switching device 3
The common circuit section 6 is connected to the common circuit section 6 which is coupled to the common circuit section 6 . Also, these 2
The two line switching control circuit units are provided with a signal line L3 that directly exchanges information with each other.

The line switching control circuit unit 4 or 5 has a function of decoding the communication line switching information from the CPU 1 or 2 and instructing the 111 communication line switching device 3 to switch the communication line, and a watchdog timer issued from the CPU I or 2 of its own system. It monitors information, detects the failure of its own CPU, and notifies other CPUs of this, and handles the exchange of information regarding communication line switching between the own CPU and other CPUs. Equipped with functions.

FIG. 2 is a detailed circuit diagram of the line switching control circuit section 4. As shown in FIG. Signal between CPUI! iL1 is connected to a register circuit 42 via a driver receiver 41. The driver receiver 41 and the register circuit 42 are connected to the control unit 4.
3. Furthermore, signals to and from the common circuit unit 6 and signals to and from the line switching control circuit unit 5 are connected to a register circuit 45 via a driver receiver 44 .

This driver receiver 44 and register circuit 45 are
It is controlled by a control section 46. These two register circuits 42 and 45 are coupled so that data can be exchanged with each other.

The line switching control section 5 also has a similar configuration.

FIG. 3 is a detailed circuit diagram of the common circuit section 6. As shown in FIG.

The signal emitted from the line switching control circuit section 4 or 5 is
OR circuit 6 via driver receiver 61 or 62
3, and its output is further sent to try I (receiver 6).
4 to the communication line switching device 3.

In addition, the fault signal emitted from the communication line switching device 3 is 1,
It is sent to the branch circuit 67 via the dry rain 266g, and each branch output is sent to the dry no (resino (61)).
Alternatively, it is sent to each line switching control circuit section 4 or 5 via step 621.

To explain the operation of the device configured in this way, the first example of the operation is switching of a communication line, in which a signal is sent from the CPU to the line switching control circuit section 4 and is temporarily stored in the register circuit section 42. be done. When this signal is decoded by the control unit 43 and found to be a communication line switching instruction, the instruction signal is sent to the communication line switching device 3 via the register circuit unit 45 and the common circuit [116]. Given. This causes the switch of device 3 to perform the instructed operation.

This operation is the same even when the CPU 2 signal is first issued.

A second example of this behavior is the state of the communication line JI1m! The signal from the communication line switching device 3 is stored in the register circuit section 45 of the line switching control circuit section 4 via the common circuit section 6, and is further controlled by the control section 46 to be stored in the register circuit section 42. The signal #Lt is transferred to the CPU I and 2 under the control of the control unit 43.

The third example of the operation is a remarkable feature of the present invention, and is a case where a watchdog timer of the CPU is detected. That is, the line switching control unit 4
' monitors the CPU watchdog timer. This is the acupuncture switching control section 40 control sections 43 and 46.
When the watchdog timer is detected, it is transferred to the line switching control unit 5 of the other system via the signal line, and the CPU 2 of the other system is notified through this. CPU2
The same applies when the watchdog timer is activated.

This allows the CPU to know that the CPU of the other system has sent out the watchdog timer, and allows the normal CPU to perform control and switch lines.

A fourth example of operation is communication between CPUs. That is, when the line switching control unit 4 decodes the CPU-to-CPU communication instruction from the CPU, it sends a signal to the line switching control unit 5 via the signal line L1, and transfers the signal from the signal line L1 to the signal line L1. Mutually coupled to L3. This allows both CPUs 1 and 2 to communicate with each other.

This is particularly effective for synchronizing the timing of line switching. The same applies when the CPU 2 issues an instruction for mutual communication.

As explained above, according to the present invention, ■ When an abnormality occurs in a computer in one system, line switching can be executed under the control of a normal computer in another system, so correct control can be performed. ■ Computers in multiple configurations can communicate with each other, so the timing of line switching can be controlled correctly; ■ System performance can be effectively improved through multi-configuration. be.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a circuit configuration diagram of the line switching control circuit section. FIG. 3 is a circuit configuration diagram of the common enclosure section. 1.2... Computer (CPU), 3... Communication line switching device, 4.5... Line switching control circuit section, 6...
°Common circuit section. Patent Applicant NEC Corporation Representative Patent Attorney Toru Ide Nao Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] (r) In an automatic communication line switching control device of a computer online device configured to automatically switch and control the communication lines of a plurality of multiplexed computers, a computer is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of combinators. Communication (b) line switching configured in 5 so that it is connected to the computer and can decode instructions regarding line switching control sent out by that computer, and can detect the watchdog timer sent out by that computer! li
The communication line switching control circuit unit, the communication line switching control circuit unit and the communication line switching device that switches the communication lines of each of the computers, and the common circuit unit that performs the connection between the communication line switching control circuit unit and the communication line switching control circuit unit, and the communication line switching control circuit unit are mutually connected. The communication line switching control section automatically provides watchdog timer detection information to each computer via another communication line switching control section when the watchdog timer is detected; An automatic communication line switching control device characterized in that the automatic communication line switching control device is configured to perform control to set a communication line that allows computers to communicate with each other via the signal line when there is an instruction to communicate with another computer from a computer. .